The Bent Archive

Reflecting on 100 newsletters

Every time we work on a new issue, there are four messages drumming in my skull: You will get better at this. Leave that toxic shit hole. Find someplace good. Do what you mean to be doing. And all those have to work together.

Tips for better virtual meetings

These are the strategies we use to put together productive, engaging online meetings. They certainly aren’t silver bullets. We have done every single one of these tips and still ended the meeting knowing it was a dud. That’s okay!

How to onboard a new hire

These days, we both use a 30/60/90-day framework for onboarding new hires — a document that describes where we want a new hire to be by the end of each month, and what we think it will take to get them there.

Can Mandatory Fun be fun?

Our biggest advice to managers: you don’t have to host Mandatory Fun. That said, we both really like having fun at work. These are the five questions we ask ourselves when we’re evaluating things that are supposed to be fun.

How to tell your boss “This is the worst”

You are unhappy with the work. Telling your boss doesn’t mean they’ll change it, but not telling your boss means they definitely won’t. Here are two ways to approach it.

Write Better Emails: Before and After!

Earlier this week, a reader forwarded us an email he’d received with this note: “Got a confusing email. Can you help me figure out what’s going on here?” Can we ever!

Should I quit?

I’m a director for a super small company that has some super big accounts, and it’s still run like a small mom-and-pop company. As in: no processes, few resources to help me do my job easier, too many cooks in the kitchen, no accountability, no alignment across the org.

I hate how anxious I feel over feedback

How can stop feeling like I’m signing myself up to sit in the dunk tank every month?

How long will it take?

The ability to perceive time — in other words: know how long something takes — is one of those very basic Boss Skills that you’re just supposed to “know how to do.” The same way you’re supposed to just “know how to budget for retirement.” Folks, this is a learned skill.

I don’t like my coworker (and they don’t like me)

I admire your impulse to try to make this relationship better — although I think you have a long road ahead of you.

Posts navigation